Improved mode of cutting boots



PATENT OFFICE.4

JOHN ADAMS, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

IMPROVED MODE OF CUTTING BOOTS.v

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,799, dated June 26, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ADAMS, of Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Manufacturing Boots 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in Which- Figure lis a perspective view of my impro ved boot. Fig. 2 is a View showing the f'orm of the upper and leg of the hoot before it is folded and crimped. Fig. 3 shows the same after it is crimped. Fig. 4 is a View showing the counter or heel piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several gures.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of cutting the uppers of boots, the ob- `ject of which invention is to make a much neater fitting boot about the shank of the foot and heel than hitherto and to obviate the necessity of having seams along the sides of the boot-leg, as will be hereinafter described.

' To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

It is desirable to make boots without side seams on each side of the leg portions for several reasons 5 but as this has been found very difcult, inasmuch as the leather about the shank of the boot cannot be crimped to fit smoothly, I have invented a new method ofcutting, by which I am enabled to make a perfect fit about the shank and to draw the leather in snugly upon the last, so that, while I leave but one seam in the leg of the boot, I am enabled to employ a counter or heel piece of a separate and stiffer piece of leather than that used for the leg.

In Fig. l I have represented a boot which is made after my improved method of cutting the upper, wherein it will be seen that I have but one seam, a, in the leg portion, which eX- tends down to a counter-piece, A, that is stitched to the upper along the top edge, b, and down each side of the shank, as at c. That portion of the upper which is indicated by B and B is made of one piece of leather.

'This method of cutting consists in forming the leg portion B entire and cutting out the corner of the upper portion B at the heel, as shown as d in Figs. 2 and 3. The front part of the upper and leg, when folded, is straight; but by the well-known process of crimping this upper is brought to the shape represented in Fig. 3, when it is ready for fitting and stitching.

In the operation of crimping the edges g of the heel-opening d are drawn and crimped, or, rather, stretched over a form, which will give to them the proper shape for the shank, the object being to make the shank of the boot conform to the shape of the foot-an object which could not he accomplished very well in that style of boots hitherto made with a seam extending down the back.

In Fig. 4 I have represented the form of the heel-piece or counter which I desire to use, and which is stitched to the upper B so as to cover the opening a, in the heel and to leave the side seams, c c, by which the leather at the shank is contracted and the boot made to fit snugly to the foot at this point. This heel-piece may be made of stouter leather than that which is required for the leg and front portion of the upper of the boot, in order to` give stiffness and support to the heel.

In the ordinary style of cutting, those parts of the back of the leg B outside of the red lines in Fig. 2 are cut out and used for straps and side linings; but by my mode of cutting these parts are utilized for the boot-leg itself, thus making a much greater saving than if used for other purposes. It is not, however, the object of my invention to save stock in the manufacture of boots. This saving is only a result incidental to my improved method of cutting. My object is to leave the heel of the upper in such form that the parts can be drawn closely into the shank, so as to obtain a neat iit, While I at the same time dispense with side seams in the leg and have but one seam extending along the hack and two side seams at the shank.

I am aware that the method, per se, of providing for but one seam down the back of the leg to the edge of the heel or lowermost edge of the counter is not new. It may also be old, disconnected from the method of providing for but one seam down the back of the leg of the boot, to apply a separate good piece of leather externally to the counter part of the boot; but I am not aware that the method of cutting the leather so as to have but one back seam,Which terminates at theupper edge ofthe counter, and two short side seams and a horizontal seam and an external good piece of leather applied to the counterportion of the boot has ever been practiced.

I do not claim what is old and shown in the rejected application ot' James Turnbull, dated June 24, 1843; but, y'

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, a boot produced as follows, to Wit: by cutting the foot land leg portion out cfa single piece of leather, the counter or heel piece being left out, and

then constructing the uppers of the boot from saidrfoot and leg portion and a separate coun terpiece by having a seam extend down the back to the top of the counter, then running the seam to the front edges ofthe counter, and from thence down to the shank of the boot, said horizontal and verticalside seams serving to fasten 

